


Communication Error

by Aki (Akiko_Natsuko)



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Star Trek Fusion, Apologies, Arguing, Communication Failure, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Forgiveness, Friendship/Love, M/M, Missions Gone Wrong
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-13
Updated: 2018-11-13
Packaged: 2019-08-22 19:04:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,224
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16603793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Aki
Summary: In the heat of battle, Keith isn’t as careful with his temper and words as he should be and once peace is restored he has to work out how to apologise to his Head of Engineering.





	Communication Error

    Hunk muttered a curse as the ship shook violently beneath his feet, sending him stumbling into his workstation and he knew that he would have bruises as he collided with the corner, just managing to brace himself before he went sliding across the floor. “Engine room to bridge,” he bellowed, lurching forward to hit the comms, unsurprised by the level of static he received or the fact that he could make out arguing on the other end. “What’s going on?” He demanded, deliberately making his voice louder to catch their attention, wondering not for the first time who had decided to put Lance and Keith on the same crew, let alone confining them to the Bridge. Apparently, someone who hadn’t had to put with their incessant bickering…

 _“Hunk what the hell is going on?”_ Ah, there was Keith, the tension in his voice telling Hunk that he should be glad that he couldn’t see what was currently attacking the ship. _“I thought that you said the engines were fixed?!_

“No,” Hunk retorted, too used to the sharp tone by now to take too much offence, although he did stiffen at the implication that he hadn’t done his job.  “I said that she was patched up.” They had barely scraped through their last encounter with a Romulan ship that had stumbled over them, and only Keith’s quick thinking and lack of fear had let them slip away. But _The Panthera_ had taken a lot of damage, and it had been all that Hunk could do to keep them moving and with enough power to keep running.

 _“That means the same.”_ Keith snapped and as patient as Hunk was, he found himself counting to ten and reminding himself that for all his talents, Keith was not an engineer. Oh, sure he could fix the pods, and do emergency repairs on the main ship, but he didn’t have the knowledge or experience to deal with the fine-tuning.

“No, it doesn’t,” he replied once he was certain that his irritation wouldn’t shine through, knowing that would only get his Captain’s back up. It was why he and Lance came to blows so often, as the other man had yet to learn how to hide his emotions. _That and likes driving Keith up the wall,_ he admitted, knowing that their weapons specialist took far too much pleasure from the bickering. “It means she’ll hold together until we reach the next base if you don’t push her too hard. And that means no warp speed, and no looking for trouble or getting into fights.” He knew that there was technically no way for them to avoid that, not with the Federation insignia emblazoned on their ship in an area of space that was notorious for pushing against the federation, however, he knew that wasn’t the reason for the silence that had greeted his words, and he added with a slight touch of exasperation. “And yes, I did warn you.” _Several times…_

 _“It’s not like I go looking for it,”_ Keith muttered, and Hunk could just imagine the scowl on his face, letting the image amuse him for a moment, before another impact reverberated through the ship, setting off another alarm in the engine room.

“You don’t need to,” he retorted, already moving to check on the latest error, wincing as he saw that the Warp core was showing fluctuations and his grip tightened on the edge of the workstation. “You need to get us out of here, she can’t take much more damage without risking losing the Warp Core…” He didn’t need to add that if that happened, they would be stranded. Sitting ducks for anyone who wanted to come along and take a shot at them, and they were far enough out that it was unlikely that help would reach them before they were discovered. His stomach clenching at that thought. As much as he loved space, loved this ship…loved his Captain… there were times when he wished that he had just remained on Earth and taken a nice, safe job building ships in the yards.

_Too late for that now._

     He knew that even if he was offered the choice, and he had been more than once, his expertise in engineering making him sought after, especially with the Academy, he knew that he wouldn’t take the offers. Because Keith was here, and he knew that the other man had no intention of turning his back on space and their mission to explore it anytime soon. After all Keith’s life was in space, he had no family left on Earth and the only person besides Hunk that he considered family was based on a research station in the outer reaches. Hunk had family on earth, he had a home to go back to. But he also had Keith, and for now, knowing that his family were safe and proud of his achievements was enough to let him be selfish and choose Keith over them.

    Apart from when his life was flashing in front of his eyes, which it might be any moment as the ship shuddered, listing to the side, more sirens screaming to life. _This is bad._ He snatched up the communicator before yelling at Pidge, knowing that they needed to do something to hold the ship together for a bit longer if they wanted a chance of getting out of here.

 _“Get us back online,”_ Keith snapped over the comms, before bellowing other orders to those on the bridge with him, a bite to his words that told Hunk that he was worried and didn’t want to admit it. He opened his mouth, intending to try and say something reassuring when Keith added tersely. _“And do it properly this time.”_ Hunk’s mouth snapped shut, disbelief silencing him for a moment before his expression tightened, rare anger flickering to life. Part of him knew that it was the stress of the situation that had made Keith lose control of his temper, but right then it didn’t help, and he made no effort to hide the hurt in his voice.

“I thought you trusted me to do my job…” There was a sharp intake of breath at the other end, and he knew that Keith had just registered his words and could imagine the expression, halfway between a frown and a grimace that the Captain would be wearing as he realised what he had said.

 _“Hunk, I’m…”_ Hunk didn’t give him time to finish, not in the mood for platitudes right now, flipping off the communicator and slipping it away in his pocket before hurrying across to where Pidge was waving frantically at him, alarm on their face and oil all over their redshirt.

He could worry about Keith later.

****

    Keith’s steps were heavy with exhaustion and apprehension as he made his way along the corridor towards Hunk’s quarters. Part of him just wanted to collapse into bed, and sleep through until his next shift on the bridge. It had taken every ounce of cunning and experience that he had and then some to get them out of the fight earlier. And he knew that it had been Lance’s skill and speed with the weapons systems that had turned the tide against the pirates that had spied that they were already damaged and mistaken them for easy pickings. He would have to thank him later. Much later, maybe tomorrow, or whenever he had come down of his high and stopped shooting Keith dark looks after hearing how he had spoken to Hunk.

_Hunk._

    That was the reason that he wasn’t already in his bunk or stood under a hot shower. He knew that he had spoken out of turn earlier and that his words had hurt his partner. The head of engineering was the most genial person Keith had ever met, the perfect counterpart to his own fiery temper, but there were boundaries, and in the heat of the moment Keith had not only broken them, but he had also trampled all over them. He had regretted it the moment he had realised what he’d said. The apology had been on the tip of his tongue, but Hunk hadn’t given him the chance to say it, and when he had called down to engineering after the end of the battle, the only person he had been able to get hold of was Pidge, Hunk’s second in command. The edge in their voice as they had bluntly told him that Hunk was ‘busy making sure he did his job properly’ had told he wasn’t going to find an ally there. And he hadn’t been able to get away from the bridge to see him in person until now, as they’d had to report both recent clashes to Star Fleet and arrange for the Panthera to dock at a local mining base for essential repairs.

    Keith was startled to realise that he’d already reached Hunk’s room, and he faltered as he stared at the keypad for a moment, unsurprised to see the red light that indicated that it was locked. It was another sign that all was not well because he could count on both hands the number of times that Hunk had remembered or bothered to lock his quarters. Usually, he would just have overridden the code, after all that was one of the perks of being Captain, but today he couldn’t justify doing it. He didn’t have the right after how he had spoken to Hunk, and he worried at his bottom lip for a moment before reaching out and rapping sharply on the door, praying that the other man wouldn’t just ignore him.

   It was barely half a minute later that he heard fumbling on the other side of the door before it slid open to reveal a befuddled-looking Hunk.

“Why are you knocking?” Hunk asked, with a frown. He sounded normal, albeit confused, but the way he wouldn’t meet Keith’s gaze said otherwise, and Keith sighed, suddenly realising that he hadn’t really planned what he was going to say, half expecting Hunk to ignore him.

“I wasn’t sure if you wanted to see me,” he said awkwardly after a moment, trying not to show how much that thought frightened him. It was one of his greatest fears that he would lose Hunk as he had lost everyone else in his life, and it must have shown through in his expression because Hunk sighed softly before stepping back.

“Come in.” Keith waited for a moment, wanting to make sure that he was really welcome, but when Hunk made no effort to close the door in his face and said nothing to counter his previous words he stepped inside, the door sliding shut behind him. “Come here,” Hunk murmured, opening his arms in invitation and Keith hesitated for a second before stepping forwards and into the embrace, tensing when Hunk’s arms tightened around him, fighting the instinct to lash out, before melting into his partner’s warmth. It was what he needed after that battle, but he couldn’t help but feel that he didn’t deserve it, even as he curled closer, hands creeping up to cling to Hunk’s shirt.

“I’m still mad,” Hunk warned him softly after they’d stood like that for a few minutes, and Keith winced before nodding, he had known that things weren’t going to be that easy to fix.

“I know,” he whispered, swallowing thickly, before pulling back enough to look at Hunk, relieved when the other man met his gaze squarely this time. “I know it doesn’t make up for what I said, but I am sorry.” The words sounded weak in his own ears, and he knew that it wasn’t enough, and he waited, expecting Hunk to push him away, knowing that he wouldn’t be able to blame him for doing just that. Instead, he found himself being yanked closer.

“I know.” There was the faintest hint of amusement in Hunk’s voice as he echoed Keith’s words. “And we do need to talk about what happened,” he added more seriously, a warning in his voice, as he knew that  Keith hated rehashing arguments, that he worried about what could be dug up and Keith couldn’t help but tense at his words. “But that can wait until we’ve both showered and slept,” he added more gently, already tugging at Keith and pulling him towards the small bathroom, Keith following willingly for a few steps before he came to a halt, forcing Hunk to stop too. “Keith?”

“I don’t deserve you,” Keith muttered, colouring slightly, before resolutely leaning up and pulling a willing Hunk into a quick kiss.

“No, you don’t,” Hunk retorted teasingly when they parted, smiling to make sure that Keith would know that he was joking before adding mischievously. “You can make it up to me later though, and by approving the list of requisitions, I sent you…” Keith groaned, dreading to think what might be on that list if Hunk looked like that, but he settled for nodding,. Already knowing that he would have been convinced to agree even if he hadn’t screwed up and deciding that it was more fun to focus on later, letting Hunk resume tugging him towards the bathroom, feeling a slight smile creeping onto his face as he realised that they were going to be okay.

 


End file.
